


Liar vs. Liar

by SmittenVixen13



Series: Liar vs. Liar [1]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Chameleon Salt, Episode Fix-It: s03 Caméléon | Chameleon, F/M, Gen, Miraculous Ladybug Salt, Post-Episode: s03 Caméléon | Chameleon, if adrien was a developed character, liar adrien, ml salt, my salty ass made this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-05
Updated: 2019-05-05
Packaged: 2020-02-26 11:50:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,438
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18716476
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SmittenVixen13/pseuds/SmittenVixen13
Summary: Adrien was raised to lie. Or, well, pretending as his mother called it as a kid. She groomed him to be talented with the technique, to play innocent, to gain sympathy, to fool others into believing him. Then she vanished, then he had no one.When Lila came into the scene, it had been amusing watching such an armature so foolishly weave a weak web of lies, had been amusing to see her so confidentially lie to his face. Until she targeted his princess. His princess with a heart of gold, one of his only sources of comfort.No one messed with his princess.





	1. Chapter 1

"A man is never more truthful than when he acknowledges himself a liar.” - Mark Twain  
  
~  
  
It started off when he was but a small child, woefully innocent and moldable by the adults about him; Emilie took it upon herself to guide her son in the art of deception, of hiding secrets from others. Secrets were always fun to keep for children, Adrien never minded that they were deceiving his father or Nathalie or any of the others. His mother praised him on his abilities, for them to sneak around.  
  


_“No father, we were just practicing our Chinese.”_ They hadn’t, they had snuck for ice cream.  
  
 _“Yes, I love playing with Chloe.”_ She was a meanie who bullied even him.  
  
It was simple deceptions, little ones no one took notice of or called them out on. If Adrien so happened to be too overbooked to play with Chloe, oh well. It wasn’t like his mother cancelled those scheduled assignments and showed him more interesting things. It was evading his father’s inquires of whereabouts. Oh the museum, the park for the modeling assignment, the fencing academy, always good places to fib about, his mother always there to back up the lie.  
  
Lies got daring as he got older, smarter. He could sneak out of the impending mansion by ten, could access his parent’s bank account for spare money easily. Emilie only grew prouder of her son, Gabriel feared the freedom he granted Adrien would cause him harm. It became harder to do some acts, but he would play his part of the caged bird.  
  
And then his mother vanished.  
  


It had been hard, suddenly missing the one person who shared his ability in lying, shared his distaste of restraint in his life, shared the growing dislike of his father. Of course he noticed his father closing off from him, noticed him not giving two shits about his only family, only giving Nathalie the time he so wanted. Why was HE never enough?! Why wasn’t his mother?!  
  
School had always been one of his biggest wants in life, to actually be free of the pristine prison and join kids his age, see if he could use his skill to charm and keep them as friends…the only friend he had was the blond harpy and her shrill voice.  
  
Plagg was a welcomed change in his life. Hawkdouche? Not so much.  
  
But if it meant he was a hero, he’d gladly take it. He always loved watching those cartoons, sure he villains were always much cooler but this Hawkass was just plain creepy and USED people’s hurt against them. Not cool.  
  
Thus began his new life as Adrien Agreste, naïve and innocent teen model, and Chat Noir, teen cat themed hero of Paris.  
  
Marinette…was a special case for him. She was smart and called him out on the gum-though it was all on Chloe-and he had to hand it to her, not many people would stand up against someone rich and powerful enough to squash any kind of chance she had in the world. So, he tried not to use his skill on her-other than covering for his escapes as Chat Noir-and genuinely tried to be friendly.  
  
She was apparently nervous around him, always stuttering or being an adorable klutz, but she was never once mean towards him, never once made him feel bad. So, his sweet princess was special.  
  
Of course, Ladybug would forever and always hold his heart. She was nervous at first, a true display of a typical hero on their first go, before she allowed herself to bloom and become Lady Luck. She called out Hawkmoth, stood up for Paris, and saved the day-and his butt- nearly every week! She was AMAZING and he loved her, would always love her.  
  
His two special ladies.  
  
Lila was a definite surprise to their algorithm. She was a liar, a really BAD liar, but he sat through her stories and feigned interest about the idea of a heroine blood line. She couldn’t even keep her damn story straight, saying she was Ladybugs’ best friend-definitely not, that title went to HIM- and then talking shit about her saying she was jealous. It was stupid and her skills were lacking, but her charisma likely saved her, as well as quick thinking.  
  
He thought that after that day, it would mean less time to deal with the pathetic liar. Fate enjoyed letting him feel all of his badluck.  
  
She was an annoying thorn in his side, his charade hard pressed to slip each time she made a lie, each time she caused nearly the entire class to melt in the palm of her hand. Not his princess, his princess-like his lady, called her out on her bullshit. And like all bullshit, she drew quick ~~excuses~~ _explanations_ out of her ass.  
  
He hated it, hated how it tore at him and Marinette alike. But she was a smart, tough cookie, they’d get through it.  
  
Lila enjoyed pissing him off, though she didn’t know that. But she likely knew she was pissing off Marinette, loved to play victim and turn the class on his poor princess, forced her into the back ALONE, and her predatory smile towards him only made him want to slip the mask off. She likely didn’t know who she was messing with.  
  
So he tried to play his act, tried to calm her down, let her know he knew she was lying, and he was willing to be her friend! The others would be too if she admitted the truth, it wasn’t too late! She stormed off. Chameleon was a hell of a villain to fight, nothing compared to Volpina or Trouble Maker but the record stands; he coaxed Marinette out of calling her out, reassured her they should take the high road and he’d back her up.  
  
Like hell he would let his princess suffer.  
  
But if only he knew. He visited not three days later, happening to be passing by when he saw her upset on the balcony. That no good, horrible lying bitch had threatened Marinette, told her she’d separate her from all her friends, how she was already starting the plan by alienating Mari from a girls’ hang out because she apparently bullied Lila.  
  
He held her close, reassured her things would get better. Maybe not tonight, maybe not the next day, but it would.  
  
He got a macaron for his words.  
  
The little liar found him leaning against her locker that Monday after classes, most everyone gone and the locker room deserted. “I guess we need to talk.”  
  
“Oh Adrien, have you finally realized we’re meant to be?” She practically purrs, though she acted more on the shy act. God, she was pathetic.  
  
“No, no, nothing like that, sorry.” He reassures with an ‘apologetic’ smile. “I wanted to talk to you about Marinette.”  
  
A flicker of a scowl settled over her expression, letting him see her true feelings towards the noirette, before it shifted to one of feigned hurt. “She’s such a bully! She’s called me such awful names, Adrien!” Her ‘tears’ never fell as she cried into her hands. “Please tell me you don’t believe her!”  
  
Moving away from the lockers, he gently tuts at her, shaking his head. “Now, we both know that’s all a lie.” He frowns at her before releasing a sigh, running his fingers through his golden hair. “Honestly, you think I’D believe you over her? Our everyday ladybug?”  
  
His scoff was followed by sinister laugh, sounding wrong coming from him. It always did. He should’ve been a villain, he had the laugh down.  
  
“Your lying is subpar, pathetic even, I’m surprised none of our class figured you out.” He smiles ruefully, shaking his head before feigning a whisper to her, “But they’re not the brightest lot, are they?”  
  
Her shocked expression filled him with sick pleasure. “A-Adrien?”  
  
“Honestly, I was going to leave you alone for your lies. It’s only a matter of google, a slip of the tongue, your mother visiting, and POOF! All of this kingdom you’ve obtained GONE.” He shook his head, beginning to walk around her, a cat toying with it’s prey.  
  
“You’ve got charm and quick thinking, I’ll give you that but you’re bad at keeping stories straight. At least work on that if you want to be believable. First thing mother taught me. Put enough truth in a lie so it can live.” He hums, peering down at her. “You could’ve kept your little kingdom, could’ve kept lying to our gullible classmates but then you went after Mari…and no one goes after my princess.”  
  
He didn’t realize he growled until she released a shocked gasp.  
  
Clearing his throat, he continued on, “Now, I can’t exactly expose you. Then I’d been berated for not backing up Mari and not telling my friends the truth, but I can leave some bread crumbs.” He hums, smirking as she began to look nervous.  
  
Seems the fox was nothing but a rat.  
  
“You may think you’re a liar, but you’re NOTHING compared to me. You make Chloe seem believable. But, go ahead. Tell someone we had this conversation. Go on and spread those lovely little lies you adore, attempting to ruin my and Marinette’s reputation. But then you’ll see what a TRUE liar can achieve.”  
  
“Y-You wouldn’t dare. I could ruin you, make all your friends leave you. Make your precious PRINCESS leave you.” She tries to bluff, her hands shaking, her eyes flicking back towards the exit for escape.  
  
Adrien felt the wild thrill of the hunt run through him, the kind of exhilaration he got from catching an Akuma, his eyes narrowing as he smirked. “Try me. Leave her the fuck alone.”  
  
Standing back straight, he slipped his mask back on, giving her the cheeriest of smiles, the one he knew people melted at due his ‘innocence’. “Glad we had this conversation! I’ll see you tomorrow, Lila, don’t forget to study for the quiz, I wrote down those notes for you for a reason.”  
  
Off he went, leaving the broken girl behind.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The lies only prove to drive them together.

“Speak the truth, even if your voice shakes.” -Maggie Kuhn  
  
~  
  
Curse her luck! She was late, AGAIN. Marinette mutters curses under her breath as she hurries towards the park, the clacking of her baby blue flats sounding off against the pavement as she rushes off. Adrien had invited her to lunch after his photo shoot, a nervous smile on his face when he asked.  
  
It had been such an endearing expression, especially since he had so kindly stayed at her side as everything seemed to go to pieces at school. She wasn’t dumb, she knew that liar was turning her friends on her, classmates that she’s known for years treating her like she was some awful person that had done them all wrong!  
  
Alya’s glare had hurt the most, more than any of the others, but Adrien had been there. He smiles and gentle words helped her have faith. So long as she had him, Chat, and Tikki? She could totally survive the liar.  
  
But not if she was late!

  
A sigh of relief escaped her as she entered the park, smiling to herself. Good, he was still busy with his photo shoot, she was on time. Humming softly, she wandered over towards the park bench to wait for him to finish, checking the box in her hands.  
  
They were safe! Oh, she hoped he liked these! It had taken her five tries and extra help from her Maman but they came out perfectly.  
  
She felt a little more self-conscious that day, deciding to forgo her usual attire for baby blue flats, faded jean short overalls, and a white off the shoulder shirt. She kept her pink bag with her for Tikki, already stacked with cookies, but the ensemble definitely fit the late spring feel.  
  
“Marinette!”  
  
Glancing up, she grins as she spied her crush grinning over to her, jogging over to her from the closing set. “A-Adrien! Hey, how was th-the shoot?” Her stutters were getting a lot better with each interaction, though her cheeks still flamed with the rush of excitement and eagerness.  
  
His own outfit was different! Even for a Gabriel Agreste shoot! It seemed more semi casual, a red sweater over a white button up with the sleeves rolled up to just his elbows, no usual butterfly mark or a bold ‘G’ on the front, blue jeans, and teal suede derby shoes. All in all, he looked handsome. But he always looked handsome.  
  
He laughs softly, stirring her from her thoughts, smiling as he stopped right before her. “Pretty good! Nathalie said I have three hours free to hang out since the shoot was finished so quick, so we can hang out until four.” He was practically bouncing from giddiness, he was free for once! Sure it meant putting up with the obnoxious troll of a photographer-a replacement for the pleasant, though weird, Italian photographer-but if it meant extra time with his princess? He’d gladly suffer a tad longer.  
  
Her giggle made him melt just a little, pride thrumming through him knowing he had been the one to make her release the sound of happiness. With the rumors and glares at school, he took every chance to make her face smile.  
  
“Good! O-Oh, I um, I made you these. I hope you like them.” She was nervous but she knew Adrien, knew he’d love the surprise she made specially for him.  
  
His expression likely betrayed his surprise, accepting the box and peering inside. His smile was instint. Macarons! Little different colored macarons with tiny rosettes pipped between the layers. There was ten in total! Nathalie would have a fit if she knew he was breaking his diet regimen-he did anyway, being Chat Noir was hard work!-yet he couldn’t bring himself to care.  
  
“Mari these are amazing! Thank you!” He praised, closing the space to hug her.  
  
It took everything in her not to squeal or scream, but the smile on her face betrayed her. “You deserve them. I know school hasn’t been…nice, and I wanted to say thank you for believing in me and staying with me.” She told him honestly, pulling back to look up to him. “I just hate that Lila’s been telling lies about you. You’re not a liar.”  
  
Her nose wrinkled in the cutest of ways, almost like Ladybug’s when she was frustrated at him or a situation. “Nah, don’t worry about her today. She’ll get the medicine she deserves. Karma always happens that way.” He already had plans for little Miss Lies a Lot, but for now Marinette was his focus. “Now tell me about that new design you were working on, the one with the sunset inspired theme.”  
  
Her expression changed in an instant, beginning to talk to him about the pain of trying to find the right beads for the dress since it was meant to catch the sunset as WELL as being inspired by it. Adrien only smiles, keeping up with her as they strolled down the street.  
  
Yeah, out of this whole situation of a train wreck, he was utterly thankful to the pathetic liar for helping to bring them together.  
  
__  
  
His humming filled the air, carefully assessing that his plan was set for execution. He had feigned concern to the Principal over the rumors of bullying, stating that perhaps her mother should come down to the school, to settle everything! Maybe the months away from the school was all because of fear of the bullying.  
  
The sweaty idiot bought it all, emailing the mother that same moment.  
  
Then there was the matters of Jagged Stone and Prince Ali. Jagged was easy enough, especially with the idea to surprise Marinette in class as well as Jagged volunteering to help the band class get inspiration for their careers. Prince Ali had been a little harder to contact, but then he remembered Rose.  
  
Sweet, sweet Rose was still kind to him, just concerned he didn’t KNOW he was hanging out with a bully. He managed to divert her attention, asking how Prince Ali was, if he shouldn’t come to visit so they could surprise Lila! Oooooh how she ate that up, giggling to herself over the surprise but he had reminded her it was a surprise to keep secret.  
  
He looked to his watch with a smirk. Show time.


	3. Chapter 3: Good Ending

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And so her Kingdom comes tumbling down

“Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win.” - Sun Tzu  
  
~  
 __  
When he first started lying, he had always felt a little guilt over deceiving his father, turning tearful emeralds towards his mother each time.  
  
“Why can’t we tell père about these things?” He had asked his mother, pathetically sniffling in the privacy of his room.  
  
His mother, ever so gentle with him, held a nature far darker than he or his father ever knew, explained as gently as she could, “Because he’ll lock us away like Princess Rapunzel. You don’t want to be Rapunzel, do you?” At the shake of his golden locks, she smiles before granting him a kiss on the cheek. “Then we’ll keep playing this. Don’t worry, you’ll learn…just as I did.”

  
  
“..drien. Adrien!”  
  
Dreams seemed to evaporate before his very eyes, sitting up with a groan as Plagg zipped around him. “Plagg? My alarm didn’t even go off yet…” His grumbles were clearly heard as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes, feeling a dull ache in his chest. Dreams about Maman always did that to him.  
  
The God of destruction shrugged his shoulders, floating before his chosen. “I know, but you told me to wake you earlier for today. You wanted to pick up pig-tails before school.” He reminds the teen.  
  
“Fuck!” Was all the response the Kwami needed to hear to know the other had completely forgotten. The feel of the comforter hitting him as the blond dashed for the bathroom didn’t bother him as much as it should have.  
  
–  
  
Marinette hums softly, glancing at the two outfits laid out on her bed, biting her lip as she thought over the two differing appearances. One held her signature pink color with the straight cut jeans that tapered off just before her ankles, paired with a swathe of white for her blouse to be delicately tucked into the jeans, an indigo blue jacket, matching indigo booties, and a pink bowler hat to top it off. The second was far more tempting, a bold change with berry red shorts, a white button up underneath a black sweater with pink (and the occasional red) hearts, sheer grey thigh knee high socks, and tan booties.  
  
Why was fashion so difficult to decide?!  
  
“Marinette! You need to hurry before Adrien gets here!” Tikki chirps the reminder from her perch on the desk, scarfing down her last cookies, smiling internally. She was glad her chosen was getting closer to Plagg’s chosen. Hopefully the reveal would be soon! She missed that dumb cheesehead.  
  
“Tikiiii.” Came the replying whine, the teen settling on the new look and beginning to change. “What if I mess up? Adrien’s been so nice to me and keeping me company all this time.” He had been her rock through this all, same with Chat Noir. Her two friends that helped her feel more like herself, even in the sea of isolation they had been placed in.  
  
Tikki swoops over to her, smiling reassuringly to her, “Oh Marinette, he cares about you. Don’t worry, everything will get better! And if not, you can talk to him about that new school.” Even with the sweet model at her side, Tikki knew Marinette had been looking at other schools to go to if the glares continued.  
  
“I know…should I go fetch macaroons for him?” She asks, beginning to create simple braids to accompany the look.  
  
“He’s always happy with just you, but macaroons make everything better!” She giggles, smiling as Marinette joined in.  
  
“Marinette! Adrien’s here!” Her mother calls from below, breaking the cheerful atmosphere.  
  
Grabbing a tanned bag already packed with her items-and cookies for tikki-the designer swiftly descended the steps, smiling towards her maman and Adrien. “Morning Adrien! Good morning Maman!” She kissed her mother’s cheek before hugging the model.  
  
One thing hanging around Adrien taught her, he was very much a touchy-feely person. Hugs were something he truly loved. So, she provided with what they were comfortable with.

“Morning, Mari. You look great!” Red looked really good on her, he felt a burst of affection filter through him at her blush. Yeah, he wasn’t that blind to know how gorgeous she was like this.  
  
“T-Thanks Adrien. Ready?”  
  
“Yeah, want to check out that café two stores down before we head to school?” He asks, already waving good bye to her mother as they retreated to the store to head outside.  
  
She nods, grinning as they strolled out to the warmth of spring. “Yeah, I’d like that.”  
  
Teas and croissants in hand from their visit, they headed over towards the school. “I’m not entirely sure if I want to be with them when…when they finally realize all of this.”  
  
“I can’t blame you. They’re…they’re something else.” Lila certainly gave Hawkmoth a run for his money. “Where are you considering?” He asks, peering down to her.  
  
A soft hum escapes her, recalling the schools she looked at. “Two schools for the arts, but one is far more exclusive than the other. I doubt they’d want a baker’s daughter….”  
  
“Hey now, you’re amazing Marinette. Don’t put yourself down just because that  liar is trying trash you. Take it from me. I’ve been in magazines and the public for so long, they’re willing to make trash headlines about me about ANYTHING.” He groans, recalling a few noteworthy ones, including one where he had been bought for the Agreste family. “It’s why I said we shouldn’t say anything. Normally when rumors like those fly, it’s best to keep quiet because it’ll die out, and I’m sorry for that. I’m sorry I’ve been putting you through that kind of hell.”  
  
He felt damn guilty about his initial advice, even if he had made sure to warn the little rat and let her know who she was going up against. This was Marinette, the same Marinette who helped him run around Paris to watch a movie with his mother, the same Marinette who gave him her lucky charm, the same Marinette who allowed his asshole of a father and his secretary to steal her present for him…it hadn’t been hard to see, all things considering. She always signed her things, but she had still allowed him to think-at the time-it had been his father who gifted him his favorite scarf.  
  
Her hand on his surprised him, causing him to glance back to her hypnotic eyes.  
  
“Adrien…you tried to help me and at least you didn’t leave me for the wolves. You’ve stuck by me and I’m glad that we’ve at least become closer for it.” She smiles, before glancing up at the entrance. “Come on, let’s get to class before anyone annoying comes.”  
  
He chuckles, following her lead inside the school.

–  
  
Everything was going according to plan. He had politely declined lunch at Mari’s-though he really wanted to try her mother’s Wonton Soup-as he ensured his plan was ready for execution.  
  
“Down with the Red Queen.”  
  
He calls Jagged Stone’s agent, smirking as she confirmed they were on their way. He reassured her that Marinette did not know anything about the surprise, hearing Jagged’s excitement at surprising his favorite Lady.  
  
With that call finished, he wanders over to a giddy Rose who was only so eager to tell him that Prince Ali was almost there and would be in class by the time lunch finished! He made sure the grin and remind the excited blonde that it was a surprise so they needed to contain their excitement.  
  
It felt good to be bad~.  
  
He wanders into the lunch room to get a quick snack-he’d stop by Mari’s after school for a proper meal-when he saw the little liar glaring at him. He only smiles, heading out of the cafeteria and knowing she was likely following, without her groupies.  
  
“Your reputation is trash, you know.” He snide voice rang in his ears. “Only that pathetic little bug is with you now. And don’t you know, she’s twice the trash you are.” Her voice was getting on his last nerve, her smirk smug. Oh the revenge would be so sweet.  
  
He munched on chips saveur, just listening to her. “You act like you’ve won.”  
  
“That’s because I HAVE won.” She scoffs, tossing her hair over her shoulder.  
  
“Keep telling yourself that. Oh, have fun after class, today.” He advises her ominously, smirking as he walks off.  
  
He sat on the front steps, whistling softly as he spies an Italian woman heading inside, smirking as he looks to his watch. Right on time.  
  
Show time.  
  
Walking back to class with Marinette beside him, Adrien felt nothing but satisfaction, knowing hell was about to be unleashed. “Hey Mari?” When she turned to face him, he gives her a gentle smile. “I…I was wondering if you’d like to go on a date on Saturday, i-if Father lets me…”  
  
She was silent for a few beats before she nods, getting that adorably shy face on her as her freckles stood out against her blush. “I-I’d love to!”  
  
With class beginning, everyone gathered inside as they hovered around Lila. Like flies around crap. Except little Rose. Rose was missing.  
  
“Surprise! Lila! I invited Prince Ali here! I’ve informed Miss Bustier about it and we’re given the rest of class to relax, since it’s such a special occasion!” She practically squeals, Adrien smirking as Lila looked more and more panicked. “Ali, you can go say hi. I’m sure you miss Lila.” Her smile was so sunny and innocent, it almost made Adrien feel bad.  
  
Almost.  
  
“Lie-la? I do not know a Lie-la.”  
  
“Oh sure you do, she’s been helping you out in your country.” Alya tries to remind him, only for the prince to look more confused.  
  
Just like that, Ali admitted to the class he had never met Lila, didn’t know the Italian right in the front row.  
  
Before the class could wrap their minds around everything, a loud bang was heard as Jagged entered inside looking like a kid in a sweet shop. “Marinette!”  
  
“U-Uncle Jagged?!” Marinette squeaked in surprise, but rose up to meet the excited Rockstar. “What are you doing here?! N-Not that I’m not excited to see you.” She quickly reassures.  
  
“You’re little friend invited me, so I can surprise you! Said you’ve been a little down and could use some rockin’ energy.” He grins, hugging the girl before parting as a few students gaped in awe. “Tell me you got those wicked boots we’ve talked about.”  
  
“Still in the process.” She giggles, utterly at ease with the rocker.  
  
Before the Rockstar could continue, Kim’s voice was heard, a little terse with subdued emotions, “Mr. Stone, do you know who Lila is? Shouldn’t you say hi to her?” Oooh~, seems someone was getting nice and angry.  
  
Adrien smiles internally, though he tried to at least keep that expression off of his face. Try being the key word.  
  
“Lie-la? What’s a Lie-la? Do I know one, Penny?” He asks, peering down to where his assistant was.  
  
“Nope, no Lilas.” She reassures, though she had a feeling something was off from the slowly retreating Italian girl who was attempting an escape while the class was distracted.  
  
Until two bodies came inside. Until Lila’s own mother came inside looking very, very upset. “What’s this about telling the school we were on a world trip, mia figlia?” Her voice was a low growl before she began a nice storm in Italian. From how even Marinette winced, it seems the mother was rightfully angry.  
  
The downfall of the lying Queen was spectacular, making Adrien smug as students attempted to apologize to Marinette though Jagged, Penny, and himself seemed very determined to remind them that they hadn’t listened to their FRIEND and listened to her bully instead.  
  
Once class was excused, Adrien escorted his princess home, smirking to the crying figure of the liar.  
  
Don’t mess with his princess.


	4. Chapter 3: Bad Ending

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Her kingdom comes down, but why is there a niggling feeling of wrong?

“All Knights must bleed. Blood is the seal of our devotion.” ― George R.R. Martin, A Feast For Crows  
  
~  
  
_The cold from outside did nothing to his numbed cheeks, emerald eyes gazing up at the moon that hung high above, hidden behind snow clouds._  
  
_“Mon minou, what are you doing out here?” A familiar voice asked, sliding up beside him as she gazed up at the cold moon._  
  
_“Father…”_  
  
_She hums softly, hearing the fractured pain in those simple words. Ah yes, his father. “I know. I was informed by **her**.” She had known Nathalie for years, at least..she knew the sweet girl from her school years. Nathalie was cold now, without a heart as her surname dictated, and always seemed to shadow her husband. “Let’s not ruin the holiday for us. If he wants so badly to be away with his fabrics, let him.” She had long given up trying with the man._  
  
_He turns his forlorn expression towards her, pain in his emeralds that caused her heart to hurt. She stepped forth, caressing his face gently, “Shh…lets go inside. We can sneak away tomorrow and tell your oaf of a father we were at the ballet.” She amends, seeing him slowly smile. “My precious boy.” His heart was so full of kindness and love. He would never be entirely like her, but he held the skill and lied as easily as the snake in Edan. He would grow to be wonderful in the art of cunning and lies._

  
  
–  
  
The art of war was all in the tactics, to infiltrate the mind of the enemy and ensure five varying victories; one never knew how the tides of a war could shift, never knew what patterns the enemy may change, so it was best to think of possibilities.  
  
Adrien ensured he thought of them all before he settled his plans to execute this kingdom of lies. Lila was smart, but she was no tactician. She was vindictive, cunning, creative, but became swayed by emotions-as they all were-and allowed her petty thoughts to dictate her actions. Adrien knew he could be impulsive, knew that Ladybug has called him out for being impulsive or focusing on a bit of flirting while an Akuma was front and present. But he had his mother’s teachings, had his mother’s innocent appearing presence, had a way of making people go his way.  
  
Just look at how easily he was able to lie about being Chat Noir. No one knew, no one suspected.  
  
It had been so perfectly set for everything to come undone. Jagged was on his way, Rose was giggling excitedly and giving him a thumbs up, and Lila’s mother was due for a private conference just a little after the two celebrities’ arrivals. He had been ready for everything.  
  
So why did something feel like it was off?  
  
Surely he planned it all to a T? If nothing else, he knew from his father how to do a hostile take over, knew how to strip someone of their false proclamations, knew how to dethrone someone in the simplest of fashions. So WHY was he feeling off?  
  
Glancing up at a clearing of a throat, he jolts a little at the sight of wide blue bell eyes looking at him worriedly.  
  
“Adrien? Are you alright? You seem…you seem off.” Her voice was soft, not wanting to catch the attention of others, but her eyes allowed him to view her worry.  
  
She was much too good for him, being worried about him like this. If he didn’t love Ladybug so much, he would definitely try and woo Marinette. Easing a smile onto his face, he nods, scooting over so she could sit beside him, “I’m alright. Just thinking about something.” His voice was meant to be reassuring, especially since he was self-assured about his plans, yet her worried expression remained.  
  
Marinette sat beside him, nervously toying with the hem of her shirt, her gaze down. “It’s just…you had this really w-weird expression on you…N-NOT that you’re weird!” She reassures, head darting up so she could let him know she was being honest. “I’ve just never seen you with it, especially with a smirk.”  
  
To be honest with herself, that smirk had unnerved her to the core. It held a villainous undertone, something some Disney villain would wear as they plotted the main character’s demise. She had never seen him look that way before. “I just want to make sure you’re okay…this whole Lila thing has been stupid and I’m sure she’ll get her due, but I’m alright with waiting…you made it okay with waiting.”  
  
Her softened expression melted his heart, causing his own expression to gentle. “I’m alright, promise. Just thinking some things over. Want to sit in the back today? I don’t want to deal with everyone, if I’m being honest.” He missed Nino, sure, but he didn’t want to deal with someone who couldn’t believe Marinette. Hell, she told him that she’s known at least half the class since they were in école maternelle.  
  
There was no excuses for them.  
  
She smiles before nodding, rising with him to stand and move towards the back of the class to sit privately.  
  
Class moved relatively quickly, the clock ticking closer towards the end, Adrien carrying on conversing solely with Marinette. She was all he needed. His mother was gone, but Marinette’s warmth filled that empty space.  
  
–  
  
Marinette could tell something was off about Adrien that day, the way he seemed to look at everything with disgust and amusement. The glare he gave Lila was unnerving.  
  
It still brought shudders to her body.  
  
Adrien had to go home for lunch, but he promised he’d be right back before class began. Her parents were off at a conference for bakers so she was on her own. Outside was a better option to eat than it was inside in the hostile air.  
  
She never expected the company.  
  
She never expected LILA’S company.  
  
“You’ve caused me nothing but trouble.” The brunette growls, olive green eyes narrowing in anger before huffing as she sat down on the bench. “But that blond is even worse. Listen up, because I’m only going to say this once. Get the hell away from that liar. I don’t want your stupid friendship, but you’re the only smart one around here who could see through lies. He’s up to something.”  
  
Marinette frowns, scoffing at the other’s declaration. “Please, Adrien would never lie. Why would he?”  
  
“He is lying. Why do you think I would spread rumors about him? The asshole knew I’ve been lying since my first day here, but I never targeted him. I targeted you.” Lila reminds her, standing up. “I’m just warning you. You don’t always know what’s right or wrong, when someone is the best.” And with that she was gone, leaving the noirette to stew with her thoughts.

–

She never thought it could come undone that…that…that quickly. Everything had went so fast. First Prince Ali who denied knowing Lila, who even got angry at the prospect of her lying to Rose’s kind classmates.

Yeah if felt good to watch her get caught in her lies, but the smile was back on Adrien’s face. The unnerving one.  
  
Then Jagged came in, all loud and excited to greet her and hug her and praise her works. Of course she adored the Rockstar! He was always so kind and checked on her when he could, especially for commissions, but he had never visited her at school before. At the mention of a friend, she came the chilling knowledge.

Adrien had set this all up. Adrien had planned this. /Lila/ was telling the truth.

She barely registered the rest of the encounter. But she saw Lila, saw the message in her eyes as she was escorted outside. _“I told you.”_

She waited until they were alone after school, after people were practically begging for her forgiveness. She had told them she needed time. She needed to talk to Adrien.  
  
“The one thing she told the truth about…” She began, biting her lip before looking up to him. “You’ve been lying…you set that up.” When he went to defend himself, she held a hand up. “D-Don’t…don’t deny it. Only you would have connections to Jagged and Ali. Only you would find a way to bring her mother here.”  
  
Her body felt ice cold, her heart practically humming in her chest from how fast it was beating. “I…Adrien, why?”  
  
His eyes were sad, as if he wanted her approval instead of how she was reacting now. “I…She was hurting you, Marinette. I thought this would make it better, exposing her.”  
  
“I wanted to truth out, not her humiliated.” She snapped, curling into herself.  
  
He winced at that tone, heart breaking. “Marinette, everything I did, I did for you. I’ve never lied to you, not like her. Not like that. You mean so much to me, I..I think I love you.” He wanted to hold her, wanted to pull her close and make sure she knew he loved her. He would always love Ladybug, but Marinette…Marinette was TRUE love.

She was hurting, she was hurting so much and she wanted to accept it all. But some part of her didn’t believe him. He could be lying again. “I need to be alone. Good bye, Monsieur Agreste.” She left him, crying herself home. At least she would be alone to cry. Maybe they could talk later. But not right now, right now she was hurting. Right now, she needed to scream without worry and cry over the betrayal.

Adrien felt cold rain splash over him, watching his whole world walk away. He didn’t register his legs giving out, didn’t register kneeling on the ground, didn’t hear all too familiar flapping of wings, didn’t feel a kwami fly away with a ring.

“Frost Prince, I am Hawkmoth. Your heart has been shattered and left cold by the one you love most. I will grant you the ability to freeze other’s hearts and leave them as cold as you, all I ask in return is Ladybug’s and Chat Noir’s miraculous.”

“Yes Hawkmoth.”

**Author's Note:**

> A tumblr fic that made it onto AO3! Inspired by the lovely lenoreofraven on tumblr!
> 
> Tumblr: autumnlover13moni8


End file.
